Is your objective, when delivering a product of service, to avoid negative elements or to delight the customer?

A risk of focusing on eliminating negative experiences is that it can result in what is called a whelming experience—neither great nor bad.

According to the authors of The Power of Moments, Dan and Chip Heath, research shows that we tend to remember the best or worst moment of an experience, as well as the last moment, and forget the rest. 

Forrester Research shows that only $1 of every $10 of an organization’s revenues come from customers who feel they had a negative experience, while the other $9 comes from customers who had a positive experience. 

Unfortunately, human nature is geared toward fixing issues before creating special moments. The typical organization spends 80% of its customer-oriented time and resources trying to resolve customer issues and eliminate pits and potholes and then runs out of energy, time, and resources before investing in creating peaks.

In other words, an organization spends 80% of its customer-focused resources on the part of the business that only generates 10% of the revenues. This suggests that leaders need to refocus their resources on the part of the business that generates 90% of the revenues. This is done by designing moments that create positive peaks and positive endings, rather than worrying about the potholes. Certainly, pits need to be addressed, but those are more obvious and are most likely specific to individuals and should be dealt with on an individual basis.

The Heath brothers state that while human lives are endlessly variable, our most memorable positive moments are dominated by four elements: elevation, insight, pride, and connection. If we embrace these elements, we can conjure more moments that matter. 

Elevation:        Moments with boosted sensory pleasures and, if appropriate, an added element of surprise. The moments transcend the normal course of events and are literally extraordinary. A couple examples of this could be getting upgraded to First Class on a flight or getting free desert at a restaurant on your birthday.

Insight:            Moments which rewire our understanding of ourselves or the world. A couple examples of this could include a behind the scenes factory tour to see how your car was made or watching a video presenting the history of your dealership or some of the charitable events your store has sponsored while the customer waits to get into finance [rather than being abandoned by the sales person and sitting idle].

Pride:              Moments which capture us at our best, like moments of achievement or courage. Examples of this could include getting a bonus/award for achievement or being called on stage at a special event to recognize behind the scenes efforts.

Connection:    Moments which are social and are shared with others. A few examples of this would include pictures with Santa Claus, meeting Mickey Mouse at Disneyworld, or even having the owner of a car dealership come out and thank a customer for their business.

Great leaders think in moments recognizing that it creates a better customer experience, is more fulfilling for staff, and is better for business (profits, loyalty, and advocacy).

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.